I'm playing a wildfire druid, but neither Enhanced Bond nor Elemental Fury works with Flame Blade (enhanced bond only works on the 1st cast, but then you won't get any benefit from subsequent attacks), so I feel highly incentivized to not use Flame Blade over cantrips like a Green Flame Blade (works with both) or even True Strike (works with Elemental Fury).
I'm only level 6 though so maybe it would feel more worthwhile with higher level spells? Thoughts?
The old Flame Blade is definitely underwhelming. The 2024 Flame Blade is considerably better, but Circle of Wildfire obviously wasn't written with that version of the spell in mind.
Honestly, I think Enhanced Bond is needlessly limiting, and if I were DMing I'd be fine with letting it apply to all of a spell's damage rolls, not just one.
The old Flame Blade is definitely underwhelming. The 2024 Flame Blade is considerably better, but Circle of Wildfire obviously wasn't written with that version of the spell in mind.
Honestly, I think Enhanced Bond is needlessly limiting, and if I were DMing I'd be fine with letting it apply to all of a spell's damage rolls, not just one.
I'd love that! But do you think that would break spells like Scorching Ray, adding a d8 to each Ray?
The old Flame Blade is definitely underwhelming. The 2024 Flame Blade is considerably better, but Circle of Wildfire obviously wasn't written with that version of the spell in mind.
Honestly, I think Enhanced Bond is needlessly limiting, and if I were DMing I'd be fine with letting it apply to all of a spell's damage rolls, not just one.
I'd love that! But do you think that would break spells like Scorching Ray, adding a d8 to each Ray?
I mean, the whole point of Circle of Wildfire is "more fire", so it might be fine. I'd have to try it out and see.
To get around that, maybe Enhanced Bond gets changed to say that the extra damage can only be applied once per turn. That calms Scorching Ray down without limiting Flame Blade.
Flame Blade does reasonable damage as a 2nd level spell. At 10 minutes it is greater than an encounter in duration. At 3rd/4th level, 3d6+Wis (~13.5-14.5) is a good amount of repeatable damage. Once you reach 5th level it falls behind things like conjure animals. Even then it matches or exceeds cantrips through level 6. At level 7->11 it gets more complicated as potent spellcasting comes online. A 2nd level spell that works as advertised 3rd-7th level has no need for a glow up.
I agree that potent spellcasting could use some adjustment. But if you did it would probably result in breaking other parts of the game balance.
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Do you think Flame Blade feels underwhelming?
I'm playing a wildfire druid, but neither Enhanced Bond nor Elemental Fury works with Flame Blade (enhanced bond only works on the 1st cast, but then you won't get any benefit from subsequent attacks), so I feel highly incentivized to not use Flame Blade over cantrips like a Green Flame Blade (works with both) or even True Strike (works with Elemental Fury).
I'm only level 6 though so maybe it would feel more worthwhile with higher level spells? Thoughts?
The old Flame Blade is definitely underwhelming. The 2024 Flame Blade is considerably better, but Circle of Wildfire obviously wasn't written with that version of the spell in mind.
Honestly, I think Enhanced Bond is needlessly limiting, and if I were DMing I'd be fine with letting it apply to all of a spell's damage rolls, not just one.
pronouns: he/she/they
I'd love that! But do you think that would break spells like Scorching Ray, adding a d8 to each Ray?
I mean, the whole point of Circle of Wildfire is "more fire", so it might be fine. I'd have to try it out and see.
To get around that, maybe Enhanced Bond gets changed to say that the extra damage can only be applied once per turn. That calms Scorching Ray down without limiting Flame Blade.
pronouns: he/she/they
I made a spreadsheet that simultaneously shows how weak Flame Blade is while showing how OP Conjure Animals is haha. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n7fUkS4q45I2mjq-cR6BbBTUmQmbbR819AcrPUKPOqg/edit?usp=sharing
Flame Blade does reasonable damage as a 2nd level spell. At 10 minutes it is greater than an encounter in duration. At 3rd/4th level, 3d6+Wis (~13.5-14.5) is a good amount of repeatable damage. Once you reach 5th level it falls behind things like conjure animals. Even then it matches or exceeds cantrips through level 6. At level 7->11 it gets more complicated as potent spellcasting comes online. A 2nd level spell that works as advertised 3rd-7th level has no need for a glow up.
I agree that potent spellcasting could use some adjustment. But if you did it would probably result in breaking other parts of the game balance.